1 Kings

1 Kings 19: The LORD cares for His servant

Begin in prayer

Before we read about Elijah at Horeb, let us bow before the Lord together. Ask Him to quiet our hearts, and to show us that He cares for the weary and keeps His people.

Israel, hope in Yahweh, from this time forward and forever more.

Psalm 131:3

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You care for Your weary servant and keep a faithful people for Yourself, and help us to trust You and Your Son, Jesus. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Jezebel sends a threat to Elijah, so he runs for his life into the wilderness. He sits under a juniper tree and asks to die, but an angel touches him twice and gives him bread and water. He walks forty days and nights to Horeb, God's mountain. The LORD asks him what he is doing there. Then the LORD passes by, not in the wind, the earthquake or the fire, but in a still small voice. The LORD sends Elijah back to work, and Elisha leaves his oxen to follow him.

As you read 1 Kings 19, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD cares for His weary servant, and He keeps a faithful people for Himself.

Elijah has just won on Mount Carmel, but Jezebel's threat sends him running for his life (verses 1 to 3). He goes a day into the wilderness, sits under a juniper tree, and asks the LORD to take his life (verse 4). The LORD does not scold him, and an angel feeds him twice because the journey is too great for him (verses 5 to 7). At Horeb, where the LORD made His covenant with Israel, Elijah says twice that he alone is left (verses 10 and 14). Wind, earthquake and fire pass by, and the LORD is not in them, and then comes a still small voice (verses 11 to 13). This is no rule for how God speaks, since He answered by fire on Carmel (1 Kings 18 verse 38). He gives Elijah new work, and He tells him that seven thousand in Israel have not bowed to Baal (verses 15 to 18). Elijah was not alone, and the LORD knew His people when His servant could not see them. Jesus keeps His people too, and no one can snatch them out of His hand (John 10 verses 28 and 29).

How does 1 Kings 19 show us that the LORD cares for His weary servant, and that He keeps a faithful people for Himself?

The LORD cares for His weary servant.

Elijah sat under a juniper tree and asked to die (verse 4). An angel touched him and gave him a cake baked on the coals and a jar of water (verses 5 and 6). The angel came a second time and told him to eat, because the journey was too great for him (verse 7). In the strength of that food he walked forty days and nights to Horeb (verse 8).

The LORD speaks to Elijah in a still small voice.

A great wind, an earthquake and a fire came first (verse 11). The LORD was not in them (verses 11 and 12). After the fire there was a still small voice (verse 12). When Elijah heard it, he covered his face and stood at the entrance of the cave (verse 13).

The LORD keeps a faithful people by grace.

Elijah said that he alone was left, yet the LORD had reserved seven thousand who had not bowed to Baal (verse 18). Paul tells this story and says there is a remnant according to the election of grace (Romans 11 verses 2 to 5). Jesus gives His sheep eternal life, and no one can snatch them from His hand (John 10 verses 28 and 29).

Memorise

Yet I reserved seven thousand in Israel, all the knees of which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.

1 Kings 19:18

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, when I am weary or afraid, do I run to the LORD and trust Jesus?

Elijah was tired and afraid, and he sat under a juniper tree and asked to die. The LORD did not scold him. He sent food, and then He spoke. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who knows His sheep and cares for the weary.

Elijah thought he stood alone, and fear can make us think the same. Jesus knows His sheep by name, and He laid down His life for them. The Father raised Him, and He lives to keep them. What He did cannot be undone.

So come to Him, turn from your sin, and put your trust in Jesus. He is gentle with a weary heart that runs to Him, and He will not cast out any who come. He gives eternal life to His sheep.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the LORD cares for the weary, and that Jesus holds His sheep in His hand. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He cares for the weary and keeps His people, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress. I will not be shaken.

Psalm 62:6

Father, thank You that You care for Your weary servant and keep a faithful people for Yourself. Thank You for Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who came to save His people. Please turn each of us from our sin, and bring us to trust Jesus. Be near to us this week when we are tired or afraid. Amen.